Monday, June 9, 2014

Week 1

Dear Familia,

Surprise! My preparation day is on Saturday during my time at the MTC. SOOOOooooo after you guys left, I was taken by elder dean (no coincidence, I'm sure) to a bus after I got all my stuff. On the bus, I found my companion, Elder Giliam, who is super dope. He's from anchorage, alaska and we get along super well. He looks a lot like Jeff from the Community and actually acts like him a lot, but maybe not as sarcastic. The other two elders that are in our distract and that we room with are Elder Royster and Elder Anderson. Elder Royster is a runner from West Virginia and he went to BYU. I like him a lot but he's a little hyper sometimes, when he doesn't run. I don't even have words to describe Elder Anderson. He's possibly the oddest person that I have ever met. I don't even know where to start but weird doesn't even cover it, I'll just tell you when I get back. The district I'm in is super dope, Its' the 4 of us guys and 5 hermanas (sisters) that are all really cool.

We have a ton of fun together and we pretty much do everything together. On thursday, our entire district got horribly lost, to the point that people were looking for us and we had to ride in a van from the main campus all over the place trying to figure out were we were supposed to be. We now refer to ourselves as the "lost district". Our district is also our class which is taught by Hermano (brother) Hammond. He is definitely one of the top 10 greatest people I ever met and he's only 21 (he served his mission a little young, I guess). The spanish is hard, the stuff I took in high school helps, but I'm still pretty bad. Yesterday, unfortunately, was the first time we taught an investigator (she was an actor, but didn't know hardly any english). Elder Giliam and I did pretty terrible, we did our door approach, said a prayer, asked her to read a pamphlet, then accidentally read the exact same thing she had said and then said another prayer and left. It was pretty awful, but I've heard most people bomb it.

I have never been so tired and busy in my whole life, there isn't even a second to breathe. And guess what? Day two, Elder Giliam and I were assigned as the new zone leaders and me the senior companion! Because our zone has a lack of elders right now, I am now in charge of about 20 missionaries (16 of which are sisters)! I'm still unsure how to get back to my apartment and we have to organize all of the sunday meetings, keep in contact with the branch president, make sure that all the elders and hermanas are happy and following the rules. The crazy things is most elders don't get assigned as zone leaders till week 4 or 5 if at all. So yah, its a little crazy. But surprisingly I kind of like it. Also I'm sorry I couldn't answer any questions you asked in your letter, I forgot to bring it to the computers.

(that part is for public viewing. Here's the ushy gushy spiritual stuff you probably want)

This place is ridiculously strong with the spirit. My testimony is already increasing by leaps and bounds. Yesterday Hermano Hammond pulled just elder gilliam and I aside to talk to us about being leaders. It was crazy good, we talked for about an hour and there was time the spirit was so strong the room almost burst. That man is something incredible. Elder is Hammond is possibly the most christ-like person I ever met. Before he talked to us, I was ready to do what was necessary, but now I am ready to go above and beyond that. I have never wanted to strive for perfection so much before. He told us that perfection is something that isn't achieved but is instead a state of constant progression. Sure I can read my scriptures every night but how hard did I study? could I have studied harder? that's how perfection works. Though it will continually get harder, the blessings received and the ability to come even closer to God are well worth it. Don't let it go to your head, but I'm glad you pushed me to serve a mission.

I really like it here and I actually look forward to the things to come. I miss you guys but I really don't have much time to think about anything, so that's nice, sort of. Sorry this isn't very well written, I don't have time to proof read.

Love

Elder Paul Alexander Evans

P.s. Sister Sasha Thompson is here! so I get to see a friendly face around, which is swell. but she is leaving monday, so thats sad.

P.p.s One of the branch president's counselors said of the 3 and half years he's served in the mtc, I am one of the happiest missionaries he has ever seen. So I got that going for me, which is nice

Pppppppppssssss also we went the temple and that was nice, now I have to go do laundry!